Sir, – Further to the controversy surrounding the suitability or unsuitability of Rishi Sunak as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate in the Richmond constituency, I think the more pressing question should be whether or not Conservative Central Office in London should once again be able to choose our MP for us, for in such a safe seat, this will surely be the case.

Ignoring the spin put on by the Richmond Conservative Association selection committee, Mr Sunak has been shoe-horned in to suit a Conservative national policy and Conservative national issues, not local ones.

Perhaps the only way for local people with local knowledge and local issues at heart to be selected for the official Conservative candidate would be for Richmond to become a marginal seat.

M HARDCASTLE

Harmby, Leyburn.